The Halifax Mooseheads faced a challenging game on Friday, falling to the Drummondville Voltigeurs by a score of 7-4 at Centre Marcel Dionne. Despite a promising start, the Mooseheads were unable to secure the victory, leading to a disappointing outcome for the team.
Malik L’Italien ignited the scoring for Halifax at 6:25 of the first period, crashing the net to convert a rebound off a shot taken by Shawn Carrier. However, Drummondville responded quickly, equalizing during a power play after Carrier was penalized for interference. Marc-Olivier Beaudry fired a point shot that slipped past Mooseheads goaltender Cirka at 7:25, just 24 seconds into the man advantage.
Halifax managed to reclaim the lead when Daniel Walters scored at 12:17. Walters drove down the left wing and snapped a shot that beat Voltigeurs' netminder Mathys Fortin. The Mooseheads then extended their advantage early in the second period, as Jasu Mensonen's shot created a rebound that Oleg Kulebiakin capitalized on, marking his 25th goal of the season. The Mooseheads continued to dominate, and Lincoln Waugh made it 4-1 with a shot from the left-wing circle that resulted in Drummondville switching to backup goaltender Jan Larys.
However, the tide began to turn in favor of the Voltigeurs. Drummondville responded with six consecutive goals, beginning with Hugo Dufour's goal at 7:37 of the second period. Jesse Allecia then scored twice, tying the game before the end of the period, indicating a concerning shift in momentum for Halifax.
The third period saw the Voltigeurs control the play, with Louis-Félix Bourque taking advantage of a turnover by the Mooseheads. He used the Halifax defense as a screen to score and give Drummondville their first lead of the night. Not long after, Allecia completed his hat trick, showcasing a strong offensive performance. Bourque added an empty-net goal as the Voltigeurs solidified their victory, completing a season sweep over the Mooseheads.
The loss left Halifax with a record of 23-25-3-3 for the season. Drummondville not only triumphed in the game but also claimed all three stars of the night. Allecia was awarded the first star for his impressive performance, scoring three goals and adding an assist. Bourque was named the second star with two goals, while Renaud Poulin earned third star honors with four assists.
The Mooseheads will have a day off on Saturday before concluding their road trip against the Rimouski Oceanic on Sunday, February 22, at Colisée Financière Sun Life. The game is scheduled to start at 4 p.m., with live coverage available on 95.7 NewsRadio featuring Garreth MacDonald.
